South Carolina H 4817: Shortline Railroad Modernization Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4817 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 30, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4817

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

April 30, 2026

H. 4817

Introduced by Reps. Brewer, Herbkersman, 
Anderson, Bailey, Gatch, Gagnon, Guffey, Hager, Hixon, J. L. Johnson, Kirby, 
Oremus, Schuessler, C. Mitchell, Pope, M. M. Smith, Ligon, Sessions, White, 
Williams, Gibson, J. E. Johnson and W. Newton 

S. Printed 4/30/26--S.

Read the first time April 7, 2026

________

The committee on Senate Banking and 
Insurance

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4817) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws so as to enact the "Insurance Rate Reduction and 
Policyholder Protection Act;" by amending Section 38-3-110, relating to, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 Amend the 
bill, as and if amended, SECTION 7, by striking Section 38-55-560(A) and 
inserting:

 (A) There is established in the Office of the Attorney GeneralDepartment 
of Insurance a division to be known as the Insurance Fraud Division, 
which must prosecute criminal violations of Sections 38-55-170 and 38-55-540 and related criminal insurance 
activityTitle 38 and any other crimes related to 
insurance. Upon receipt of any claims or 
allegations of violations of Section 38-55-170 and 38-55-540 and related 
criminal insurance activity, the Attorney General shall forward the information 
to the State Law Enforcement Division for investigation.To fulfill this purpose, the Attorney General shallmay appoint certain attorneys, employed by the Department of 
Insurance in the Insurance Fraud Division, including the Director of the 
Insurance Fraud Division, as assistant attorneys general pursuant to Sections 
1-7-30 and 1-7-160. The Office of the Attorney General shallmay cooperate and work with the Insurance Fraud Division by 
providing access to and use of the Attorney General's criminal justice and 
prosecution resources including, but not limited to, criminal history record 
information and insurance claim history using systems such as Criminal Justice 
Information Services (CJIS), National Crime Information Center (NCIC), National 
Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), Insurance Services Office 
(ISO), or Verisk ClaimSearch or similar government or private databases. 
Employees of the Insurance Fraud Division granted such access shall be subject 
to the same requirements and policies as employees of the Office of the 
Attorney General for the use of these resources. The Department of Insurance 
must reimburse the Office of the Attorney General for any additional costs 
required to access these systems for the Insurance Fraud Division.

Amend the bill 
further, SECTION 14, by striking Section 38-77-122(A) and (B) and inserting:

 (A) No insurer or agent shall refuse to 
issue an automobile insurance policy as defined in Section 38-77-30 because of 
any one or more of the following factors: the age, sex, location of residence 
in this State, race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or income level, or the existence of no more than one uninsured or 
underinsured motorist claimsclaim that occurred less than thirty-six months immediately 
preceding the upcoming anniversary date. No insurer or agent shall 
refuse to issue an automobile insurance policy as defined in Section 38-77-30 
solely because of any one of the following factors: the previous refusal of 
automobile insurance by another insurer, prior purchase of insurance through 
the Associated Auto Insurers Plan, or lawful occupation, including the military 
service, of the person seeking the coverage. Nothing in this section prohibits 
any insurer from limiting the issuance of motor vehicle insurance policies only 
to persons engaging in or who have engaged in a particular profession or occupation, 
or who are members of a particular religious sect.

 Nothing in this section prohibits any 
insurer from setting rates in accordance with relevant actuarial data.

 (B) In determining the premium rates to be 
charged for an automobile insurance policy as defined in Section 38-77-30, it 
is unlawful to consider race, color, creed, religion, national origin, 
ancestry, location of residence in this State, economic status, or income level, or the existence of 
no more than one uninsured 
or underinsured motorist claimsclaim that occurred less than thirty-six months immediately 
preceding the upcoming anniversary date. The 
existence of no more than one uninsured or underinsured motorist claimsclaim that occurred 
less than thirty-six months immediately preceding the upcoming anniversary date shall not be considered when determining an i